Back in the day, this was the first Delta Green scenario that I ever played, and it’s what made me fall in love with the game. Now, much later, I’ve finally read the scenario myself. I think this is probably my favorite DG scenario; the premise is so simple and yet it’s so full of horror and mystery. This scenario probably creeped me out more than any other RPG scenario I’ve played, and reading through it recently I still find it very unnerving.

The premise here is simple: the Agents have been tasked with investigating the apparent suicide of a fellow Agent in a house in New Jersey, only to discover that the house has been the site of numerous grisly deaths in the past, all presumed accidents or suicides. Like any good DG scenario, the Agents are given a mysterious handler, a few friendlies to talk to, and a green box to pilfer through. But eventually, they’ll make their way to the house, and that’s when the terror really begins…

A good handler with a real talent for building tension and a creative mind could create something truly horrifying with this scenario. There’s so many potential ways to unnerve and scare your players thanks to the house’s long and sordid history. But I really appreciate the fact that the scenario provides the handler with many possibilities you could use if you’re feeling lazy or uncreative.

I think this is Delta Green’s “rite of passage” scenario, like what The Haunting is for CoC, and if you have a Delta Green group it’s pretty much mandatory that you play this at some point.

I'm coming to the end of running this operation with my local group and its the most fun I've had running a game in a long time. The central conceit starts out as seeming like a fairly typical horror trope to the agents but the depth of background helps you as Handler build a rich operation around the sleepy area of Meadowbrook.

Like all DG operations, you'll need to do a good bit of preparation to add your own flavour to make the setting rich and 'real' but your players will have a harrowing riot playing this operation and their Agents, should they survive, will certainly remember their time in Meadowbrook.

I would say that this operation is going to a be a little more challenging to run as your first operation, but once you've run Last Thing's Last or something similarly well contained, definitely make Music from a Darkened Room your next stop.

This adventure begins with the party being asked to investigate the mysterious death of a veteran Delta Green agent (and FBI agent) in a suburban house that has a bad reputation in the neighbourhood - their task is to determine if the house itself poses a threat. The local coroner has pronounced him a suicide, and other Delta Green agents in the FBI worked to maintain this as the official story, but the organisation has doubts and wishes to know the truth... but not for it to get out. The locals feel the same way, so this is an investigation that must be carried out discreetly.

There's a What's Going On section that gives you the low-down on the house, its history and what is actually happening there: a sad story spanning over an hundred years. There are various avenues of enquiry that the party can follow, and masses of information to enable you to give appropriate responses as they investigate. The main strands that they can pursue include the house itself, official records, talking to the locals, and researching the history of the house... and of course they may choose to do all of these or more. It's well to be really familiar with the material before the game, and to keep in mind the consequences of what they do and - even more importantly - how they choose to go about it. They should find it quite easy to attract attention, and there are notes to aid you in ensuring that it's the wrong kind of attention!

It is an atmospheric and almost claustrophobic tale of small-town America. Visiting the house itself, which curious party members are almost certain to do, is a terrifying and potentially deadly experience. Play this up... it's enough to give the players nightmares if done right, never mind their characters. There are ways to clear things up, but most of the options are obscure and you may have to give even competent investigators a few hints. Suggestions are made as to how to do this, and not all the methods are successful, even if the very high price that must be paid. Overall it's an excellent creepy haunted house scenario that should haunt your group long after you have played it!